Method, apparatus, and system for connecting to network

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for connecting to a network. Embodiments of the present disclosure include: sending, by an MME, a first message to a server; and receiving, by the MME, a second message sent by the server, where the second message is used to instruct the MME to perform a relay process, where the relay process specifically includes: acquiring a list of candidate relay UEs that relay the UE, and sending a third message to candidate relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs, where the third message is used to instruct the candidate relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs to send a fourth message to the UE, and the fourth message is used by the UE to determine selected relay UE and connect to a network by using the selected relay UE.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for connecting to a network, the method comprising:
 sending, by a mobility management entity (MME), a first message to a server, wherein the first message notifies the server that a user equipment (UE) loses a connection to the network; and   receiving, by the MME, a second message sent by the server, wherein the second message instructs the MME to perform a relay process, wherein the relay process comprises:
 acquiring, by the MME, a list of candidate relay UEs that relay the UE, and 
 sending, by the MME, a third message to candidate relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs, wherein the third message instructs the candidate relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs to send a fourth message to the UE, and the fourth message is used by the UE to determine a selected relay UE and connect to the network using the selected relay UE. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the acquiring, by the MME, the list of candidate relay UEs comprises:
 acquiring, by the MME, an identity (ID) of one or more of: a candidate relay UE that is located in a same cell as the UE and that relays the UE, and a candidate relay UE that is located in a neighboring cell of a cell in which the UE is located and that relays the UE; and   generating, by the MME, the list of candidate relay UEs, wherein the list of candidate relay UEs comprises the ID of one or more of: the candidate relay UE that is located in the same cell as the UE and that relays the UE, and the candidate relay UE that is located in the neighboring cell of the cell in which the UE is located and that relays the UE.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first message comprises a cell ID of the UE, and the second message comprises the list of candidate relay UEs that relay the UE; and
 the acquiring, by the MME, the list of candidate relay UEs comprises:
 acquiring, by the MME, the list of candidate relay UEs from the second message. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein after the sending, by the MME, the third message to the candidate relay UE, the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the MME, a fifth message that carries an ID of the selected relay UE and that is sent by the server, wherein the fifth message instructs the MME to send a sixth message to a candidate relay UE other than the selected relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs, and the sixth message instructs the candidate relay UE other than the selected relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs to stop sending the fourth message to the UE.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein before the sending, by the MME, the first message to the server, the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the MME, a seventh message that carries instruction information and that is sent by a base station, wherein the seventh message is used to notify the MME that the UE loses the connection to the network, and the instruction information instructs the MME to report to the server that the UE loses the connection to the network; or   receiving, by the MME, a subscription request sent by the server, wherein the subscription request is a request for the server to subscribe to a state of the UE of losing the connection to the network.   
     
     
         6 . A method for connecting to a network, comprising:
 receiving, by a server, a first message sent by a mobility management entity (MME), wherein the first message notifies the server that a user equipment (UE) loses a connection to the network; and   sending, by the server, a second message to the MME in response to determining that the UE needs to connect to the network by using a relay UE, wherein the second message is used to instruct the MME to perform a relay process.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein before the sending, by the server, the second message to the MME, the method further comprises:
 generating, by the server, a list of candidate relay UEs;   wherein the sending, by the server, the second message to the MME comprises:
 sending, by the server, to the MME, the second message that carries the list of candidate relay UEs. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the first message comprises a cell identity (ID) of the UE, and the generating, by the server, the list of candidate relay UEs comprises:
 sending, by the server, an acquiring request to a gateway mobile location center (GMLC), wherein the acquiring request comprises an ID and the cell ID of the UE;   receiving, by the server, a request reply message sent by the GMLC, wherein the request reply message comprises one or more of: an ID of a candidate relay UE that is located in a same cell as the UE and that relays the UE, and an ID of a candidate relay UE that is located in a neighboring cell of a cell in which the UE is located and that relays the UE; and   generating, by the server, the list of candidate relay UEs according to content of the request reply message, wherein the list of candidate relay UEs comprises one or more of: the ID of the candidate relay UE that is located in the same cell as the UE and that relays the UE, and the ID of the candidate relay UE that is located in the neighboring cell of the cell in which the UE is located and that relays the UE.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein after sending, by the server, the second message to the MME, the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the server, after the UE connects to a network, an eighth message that carries an ID of a selected relay UE and is sent by the UE, wherein the eighth message notifies the server that the UE has connected to the network; and   sending, by the server to the MME, a fifth message that carries the ID of the selected relay UE, wherein the fifth message instructs the MME to send a sixth message to a UE other than the selected relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs, and the sixth message instructs the UE other than the selected relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs to stop sending a fourth message to the UE.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein before the receiving, by the server, the first message, the method further comprises:
 sending, by the server, a subscription request to the MME, wherein the subscription request is a request for the server to subscribe to a state of the UE of losing the connection to the network.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for connecting to a network, comprising:
 a sending module, configured to send a first message to a server, wherein the first message notifies the server that a user equipment (UE) loses a connection to the network;   a receiving module, configured to receive a second message sent by the server, wherein the second message instructs an acquiring module and the sending module to perform a relay process; and   the acquiring module, configured to acquire a list of candidate relay UEs that relay the UE,   wherein the sending module is further configured to send a third message to a candidate relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs, wherein the third message instructs the candidate relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs to send a fourth message to the UE, and the fourth message is used by the UE to determine a selected relay UE and connect to the network by using the selected relay UE.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the acquiring module comprises:
 an acquiring unit, configured to acquire one or more of: an identity (ID) of a candidate relay UE that is located in a same cell as the UE and that relays the UE, and an ID of candidate relay UE that is located in a neighboring cell of a cell in which the UE is located and that relays the UE, and provide an acquiring result for a generating unit; and   the generating unit, configured to generate the list of candidate relay UEs according to the acquiring result provided by the acquiring unit, wherein the list of candidate relay UEs comprises one or more of: the ID of the candidate relay UE that is located in the same cell as the UE and that relays the UE, and the ID of the candidate relay UE that is located in the neighboring cell of the cell in which the UE is located and that relays the UE.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the first message comprises a cell ID of the UE, and the second message comprises the list of candidate relay UEs that relay the UE; and
 the acquiring module is further configured to acquire the list of candidate relay UEs from the second message.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the receiving module is further configured to receive a fifth message that carries an ID of the selected relay UE and that is sent by the server, wherein the fifth message instructs the sending module to send a sixth message to a candidate relay UE other than the selected relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs, and the sixth message instructs the candidate relay UE other than the selected relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs to stop sending the fourth message to the UE; and   the sending module is further configured to send the sixth message to the candidate relay UE other than the selected relay UE in the list of candidate relay UEs.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the receiving module is further configured to receive a seventh message that carries instruction information and that is sent by a base station, wherein the seventh message notifies the apparatus that the UE loses the connection to the network, and the instruction information instructs the sending module to report to the server that the UE loses the connection to the network; and   the receiving module is further configured to receive a subscription request sent by the server, wherein the subscription request is a request for the server to subscribe to a state of the UE of losing the connection to the network.